With the wiper switch on the dash, what other method could have been used with intermittent wipers?

1973/79 F100/350 with intermittent wipers used this same system, the switch is the same as 1971 Fairlane/Torino.

Everything began to change after the Japanese cars began to flood our shores in the mid 1970's.

People bought these like hotcakes during the first Arab Oil Embargo (1973/74), because they got far better MPG than the US cars...and the new owners soon discovered that their quality was better, too.

Japanese cars had levers on the column for tilt wheel and wiper control. When the Escort was introduced in 1981, it had these same features.

Some 1980 cars and all cars from 1981 have a separate lever for the tilt wheel. Within a few years, many cars had a stalk on the column for the wipers.

 

Have the main **** 1 click CW to intermittent wipers and have a smaller 2nd **** for the time between wipes.
Next click CW to low and the 3rd click CW for high speed.
Dave ----

 

What's the big deal with "to the lift for interval, right to low speed.
You still have plenty of time between interval cycles to turn to the right for constant on..

 

I drive a 09 superduty at work. While it has the wipers on the stalk, one twist you are in the delay area with several clicks for more or less delay. Keep turning it and you hit a click which is on all the time low. One more click is on all the time high.

I don't see why they could not have done that with the dash switch on the old vehicles. It's not that big of a deal, but I think it's a poor design.

What really drives me up the wall is the GM system on the early vehicles. My 99 tahoe still has it. It works just like I described the 09 ford, turn the stalk you are in delay, turn it some more you are in low or high. But when I want to turn them off, they will always stroke once more before going off. When I want them off, I want them off, not having to wait a full wipe cycle again and hearing them scrape against a dry windshield. The 09 Ford goes off when I turn them to off, no extra wipe.

 

Have any of you guys drove some of the newest Ford trucks? How do you like the turnsignal lever? That is just about aggravating also. It doesn't stay down mechanically till the wheel turns to cancel it. It's always momentary. You push it down to turn and when you lift up it returns to center but the signals keep blinking. Always when I am changing lanes I gently push the turnsignal lever down but don't let it click. I then let up when I have changed lanes and go on. But now when I do this on the newer trucks, the signals keep blinking. I have to pull the lever up to make them go off.

But this might not be a problem for some people. It seems more and more people do not know what that lever is on the side of the column and don't use it.

 

When I bought mine in 86 I was thrilled that it had intermittent wipers.

 

How new are you talking about? I work with rental trucks so I get to drive brand new f-150-350 pretty often and all the trucks have pretty standard "locking" turn stalks. However, I do remember some of the "older" Ford SUV vehicles as having the non locking stalks that I think you're talking about. And I didn't like them either.

 

I'm fine with stuff like the wiper switch on the steering column. The one thing I'll never get used to, though, is when they moved the headlight dimmer switch up there. I learned to drive with the foot-operated dimmer switch and old habits are hard to break.

The new ergonomics are terrible with the relocated dimmer switch. In my opinion, it's a serious safety issue, too. I keep getting my foot caught in the steering wheel.

 

"Newer" previous: 2004 F150 Lariat Super Crew; 2011 F150 Lariat Super Crew; 2015 F150 XLT Super Crew.

When Chris and I were in OK for two weeks, we rented a 2017 F150 XLT Super Crew from Budget. I drove most of the 2,300 miles on this trip.

I don't see where there's a problem with the T/S handle.

Ford has had 'lane change' turn signals for decades, so there's no need to push the handle all the way up/down unless making a turn.

I've owned over 300+ vehicles since 1956, it never took me very long to figure out how all the controls work.

 

I have a 1978 ford bronco Ranger XLT and when i bought it, it did not have the original steering wheel but i looked behind the dash and it does have the cruise control box back there. i tried to push the turn signal forward and it did nothing i figured it might be rusty but i pushed it untill the turn signal bent... my best guess is someone replaced it with one without a tilting wheel? anyone know anything about this?

 

I have a 1983 base/custom... Pretty sure it's a non-tilt wheel. I heard that tilt wheels with mechanical clutches can cause issues with flex later on in life, so I guess I may have gotten lucky there. I didn't know you could turn the wiper **** to the left either... I gotta try that now! I just assumed I didn't have intermittent wipers.

 

Thanks for this thread. I have an '80 that I didn't think had tilt and I was always cussing at why I have to squeeze my 6'4 frame underneath the steering wheel. With the post on the cruise/tilt combo, and knowing mine has cruise, I had to run out and check. Low and behold, tilt wheel, and a more comfortable ingress/egress. Thanks a bunch!

 

Truth is in person I haven't seen many with tilt on these trucks. My '82 F150 is a non tilt has that real loud hard metallic click turn signal only found on non tilt columns. The '82 F150 I put the 5.0 Coyote in at work had a non tilt which strangely enough that non tilt column is currently sitting in my garage since it was going in the dumpster as he wanted a tilt for his gut. Was impossible for him to drive with his new redone seats and a non tilt wheel his gut was holding the wheel from turning.

 

Yep, my '56 has the lane change turn signal as well. Press it down some what firmly and the turn signal flashes. Or you can press further and click it to make it stay on.

 

So I have a work beater 2002 f150 XL, and the steering wheel is far to low for me so I always have to bend my leg very uncomfortably to get in and out if it and I was wondering if anyone knew if this thing had a laber or some trick to move the steering wheel that I am not seeing?